1. There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation of up to 5 feet above ground level beginning later today along the Florida Gulf Coast from Indian Pass to Clearwater Beach, where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local officials.

2. Tropical storm force winds are likely later today and tonight along portions of the central and eastern Gulf Coast, where tropical storm warnings are in effect. Regardless of the exact track and intensity of the system, these winds will cover a large area, especially east of the center.

3. Isolated flash flooding is possible along the central and eastern Gulf Coast and the southeast United States coast through Saturday night.

4. Wind and coastal flooding hazards along the U.S. East Coast will be covered by non-tropical watches and warnings issued by local NWS offices, since the system is expected to lose any tropical characteristics after it moves inland along the Gulf Coast.

WHAT'S NEW:

None.

SUMMARY OF ALERTS:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
- Mississippi/Alabama border to Yankeetown Florida
- Grand Isle Louisiana to the Mouth of the Pearl River

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
- Indian Pass Florida to Clearwater Beach Florida

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning.

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of lifethreatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. This is a lifethreatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials. For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

STORM SURGE: [TOP] The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Indian Pass FL to Chassahowitzka FL...3 to 5 ft Chassahowitzka to Clearwater Beach FL...2 to 4 ft Tampa Bay...1 to 3 ft

Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

WIND: [TOP] Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast within the warning area by later today and this evening, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

Gale-force winds are likely along portions of the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States by Saturday.

RAINFALL: [TOP] The disturbance is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches this weekend from the central Gulf Coast and northern and central Florida to the eastern Carolinas, with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches.

TORNADOES: [TOP] A tornado or two is possible tonight and early Saturday near the Florida Gulf Coast from the central panhandle to the western peninsula.

At 1000 AM CDT (1500 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 25.9 North, longitude 90.0 West. The system is moving toward the northeast near 22 mph (35 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through Sunday, followed by a turn toward the east-northeast by early Monday. On the forecast track, the system will approach the northern Gulf Coast later today and tonight and move inland across portions of the southeastern United States on Saturday and Sunday. The system is forecast to move offshore of the coast of North Carolina by late Sunday.

Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is expected later today, with weakening forecast after the system moves inland.

The disturbance is expected to become a tropical or subtropical storm later today. * Formation chance through 48 hours...high...90 percent * Formation chance through 5 days...high...90 percent

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km), mainly to the northeast and east of the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 1001 mb (29.56 inches).

The satellite presentation of the system features an area of very deep convection with cloud tops colder than -80C within the eastern part of a rather broad and elongated surface circulation seen in visible satellite imagery and data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft. A NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft found flight-level winds as high as 72 kt and SFMR winds of 45-50 kt southeast of the ill-defined center, and based on these data the initial intensity is set to 50 kt. The NOAA aircraft also measured a pressure of around 1001 mb. While the cyclone has deepened, the circulation is still quite elongated and not well defined, so the system is maintained as a Potential Tropical Cyclone for now.

The global models continue to indicate that the circulation will consolidate and the system will strengthen some during the next 12 hours or so, as the low-level circulation will be overtaken by an upper-level trough currently situated over southwest Louisiana. The system is still expected to become a tropical or subtropical storm later today, with the exact phase dependent on the timing of the circulation improving and the interaction with the upper trough. Once the system moves inland, it should become extratropical by 36 hours and slowly weaken once it moves offshore of the Carolinas by 72-96 hours before dissipating by day 5. The new NHC intensity forecast is adjusted upward from the previous one through 24 hours based on the initial intensity and allows for the possibility of at least some additional strengthening later today.

The initial motion is a somewhat uncertain 055/19 given the lack of a well-defined center. The track model guidance remains in good agreement on the system moving quickly northeastward toward the northeastern Gulf Coast during the next 24 hours as it interacts with the upper trough. After moving inland, a northeastward motion is forecast to continue until after 48 hours, when an east- northeastward motion is expected, which will take the circulation offshore over the Atlantic by 72 hours. The new NHC track forecast is similar to, but a bit to the south of the previous one and is close to the various track consensus aids.

Regardless of the exact evolution of the system, portions of the northeastern coast of the Gulf of Mexico will experience strong winds, locally heavy rains, and storm surge later today and Saturday. Similar impacts are expected across portions of the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States Saturday and Sunday.